The sliding door comprises a guide rail, a sliding carriage and a centering element. The sliding carriage is longitudinally movably mounted on the guide rail and connected with the vehicle body by a multiple joint. The centering element is provided at the end of the sliding door facing away from the multiple joint.
Such sliding door is known from DE 10 2008 016 650 B3, to which reference is made here expressly. In this sliding door, the multiple joint comprises a hinge stirrup which is rotatably mounted on the sliding carriage and on a body flange, and a control lever which is rotatably mounted on the sliding carriage and on a or the body flange. The prior art sliding door furthermore comprises a first intermediate lever which is rotatably mounted on the control lever, and a second intermediate lever which is rotatably mounted on the first intermediate lever and on the sliding carriage. At the end facing away from the multiple joint, the sliding door is rotatably and longitudinally movably mounted by a centering element. It can be locked there. The control lever includes an extension on which the first intermediate lever is rotatably mounted. At the connecting joint of the first intermediate lever and of the second intermediate lever a guide pin is provided, which is guided in a guideway provided at the sliding door. The guideway extends inclined relative to the guide rail. The guideway extends inclined outwards in a direction away from the hinge stirrup.
Another sliding door as mentioned above is described in EP 2 008 846 A2, to which reference likewise is made here expressly. Here, a drive rod is present, which is rotatably mounted on the control lever. At the end facing away from the multiple joint, the sliding door is rotatably and longitudinally movably mounted by a centering element. It can be locked there. The drive rod is rotatably mounted on the guide rail. The control lever includes a lever arm on which the drive rod is rotatably mounted. At an intermediate lever, which is rotatably mounted on the sliding carriage, a guide pin is provided, which is guided in a guideway provided at the sliding door.
From the non-prepublished prior German Patent Application 10 2008 026 137.8, to which reference likewise is made here expressly, another sliding door of the type mentioned above is known. Here, the control lever includes a lever arm on which a guide pin is provided, which is guided in a guideway provided at the sliding door. The guideway preferably extends inclined outwards in a direction away from the hinge stirrup.
In the prior art sliding doors, the centering element is formed by a U-shaped receptacle at the end of the sliding door facing away from the multiple joint, which is provided at the sliding door and extends inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and by a hinge bolt which is provided at a body flange and engages in the U-shaped receptacle, where it can be locked in place.
It is the object of the present disclosure to propose an improved sliding door of the type mentioned above.
According to a first proposal, this object is solved in that the centering element includes a centering surface which rests against a counter surface integral with the body, when the sliding door is closed. This provides for reliably centering the sliding door in the closed position.
The centering surface can include a portion which extends inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The counter surface integral with the body preferably is formed correspondingly. The portion of the centering surface extending inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle preferably is inclined forwards and to the inside in direction of the vehicle. Advantageously, the inclined portion of the centering surface is flat.
Another advantageous development is characterized in that the centering surface includes a portion which extends parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The counter surface integral with the body preferably is formed correspondingly. The portion extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle preferably adjoins a portion which extends inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Preferably, it forms an end portion of the centering surface.
Advantageously, the centering element includes a catch hook. Preferably, a corresponding counter bearing for the catch hook is provided at the vehicle body. By means of the catch hook, an excessive deformation of the sliding door and corresponding disadvantageous consequences for the vehicle occupants can be avoided in the case of a side impact.
The catch hook forms a crash hook for a side impact at the sliding door. A counter bearing integral with the body preferably is provided opposite the catch hook.
The body-side counter surface can be provided at a cover. The cover can be attachable or attached to a body flange.
According to another proposal, for which protection is claimed independently, the object underlying the present disclosure is solved in that the centering element coverable by a covering cap. In particular, the centering element can be covered during a painting operation. In this way, a damage of the centering element can be avoided during the painting operation.
Advantageously, a rotary hinge axle can be mounted at the centering element. The rotary hinge axle can be mountable directly at the centering element. It is, however, also possible that instead or in addition the rotary hinge axle is mountable at the covering cap which covers the centering element.
The paintwork of a bodyshell sliding door of a motor vehicle and of a body-in-white of a motor vehicle takes place in several steps. In general, the body-in-white including the doors and lids passes through one or more immersion baths, for example a cleaning stage, a degreasing zone and/or a phosphating zone. In these immersion baths the body-in-white is rotated, so that it is required to fix the doors and lids to the body-in-white, in order to prevent them from moving uncontrolled. After the immersion baths, the body-in-white can pass through a washing installation. Thereafter, wet painting takes place, which can comprise the steps of priming, top coating and/or clear coating. During wet painting it is required to be able to open and close the doors and lids, so as to for example also paint the door apertures. After wet painting, the body-in-white passes through a drying stage in which it can be heated for example to 180° C. or some other temperature.
In certain method steps of the painting operation it thus is desirable or required that the bodyshell door takes a closed position or a position slightly ajar with respect to the closed position, in which the bodyshell door is fixed. The closed position is that position in which the bodyshell door fills the associated opening in the body-in-white, namely preferably in the same way as the finished door also fills the opening of the finished body.
In other method steps of the painting operation, however, it is desirable or required that the bodyshell door is removed from the associated door opening of the body-in-white.
Due to the fact that a rotary hinge axle is mountable at the centering element, it is possible to selectively move the sliding door into an open position or into a closed position during the painting operation.
Advantageously, the sliding door is adjustable in z-direction by the covering cap. The z-direction is the vertical direction.
The two solutions in accordance with the present disclosure can be combined with each other.
The present disclosure furthermore relates to a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, which is characterized by one or more sliding doors in accordance with the present disclosure.
An embodiment of the present disclosure will be explained in detail below with reference to the attached drawings.